With a chance at perfection one shot away, Spencer Schouwenburg had a hard time letting his arrow fly. When he finally did, he became the youngest member of the Silvertip Archers -- and just the eighth in club history -- to record a 300.
That's 30 arrows, fired in groups of three, all in the centre ring. The 14-year-old Schouwenburg accomplished the feat last month at the Silvertip's indoor range, located in the old Austin Road elementary school gymnasium.
"I was nervous to shoot my last arrow," said Schouwenburg, who was killing time before the start of a club session. "I didn't really want to let it go just because of the fact that if I missed it wasn't going to be a 300."
Schouwenburg backed off four times before he was comfortable enough to release his arrow.
"As soon as I let it go, in all honesty, I thought it was out [of the centre ring]," he said. "But, it was right in the middle of the X.
"I was really happy and surprised. There's a lot of stress when you haven't shot a 300 yet and you're going for it."
Schouwenburg shoots with a compound bow. On a scale of basic to high-tech, it's an advanced piece of equipment, one that has a six-power scope attached to it. Still, from 18 metres away, the centre ring looks awfully small. Close-up, it's about the size of a loonie.
This season, Schouwenburg had shot a 299 seven or eight times. Last season, his best score was a 298.
Schouwenburg's 300 was the first by a Silvertip Archer since 1997, when Cory Vandel had a flawless performance. Other club members who have 300s to their credit are Glen Johnson, Shawn Kelly, Wade Krueger, Kurt Johnson, Cec Mehan and Joe Dorion.
Remarkably, Schouwenburg is in just his third season of archery. He got his start in a Friday fun league, took to the sport immediately, and now practices six times per week. In the cub age group (13- and 14-year-olds), he holds provincial and national records in both indoors and outdoors.
Keith Paterson, one of Schouwenburg's coaches, marvels at the youngster's progress and the fact he now has a 300.
"My brother-in-law [Glen Johnson] got his years and years ago, and I think it took him 15 to 20 years," Paterson said. "And he shot every day, so [Schouwenburg's 300] is a big accomplishment."
Paterson said Schouwenburg is "very good" from a technical standpoint and is also sharp when it comes to the mental side of archery.
"He's so calm and cool," Paterson said. "Nothing seems to rattle him."
Schouwenburg, a Grade 9 student at Duchess Park secondary school, has already qualified for the 2014 B.C. Winter Games, Feb. 20-23 in Mission, and hopes to represent B.C. at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George.
Trials for the 2015 Games are already underway and will continue into the outdoor season. Ultimately, four individuals will be brought together for a shoot-off that will determine who will take aim for B.C. in February of next year. The archery competition will be held at the Northern Sport Centre.
Next on Schouwenburg's schedule, however, is The Vegas Shoot, Feb. 7-10 in Las Vegas. He'll be a first-timer at the event, considered the most prestigious indoor archery tournament in the world.
"Pretty much everybody's going to be there -- 2,000-plus people shooting," he said.
Other Silvertip Archers who will attend the B.C. Winter Games are Mya Schouwenburg (barebow), Dawson Williams (barebow) and Shadae Pollon (compound). Quesnel residents Kendra Scherk and Denise Galloway, who wield compound bows, will also be part of the Zone 8 team.
